Nigerian Football
Battle Against Relegation in Akure
After the drama of last week that threatened the possibility of Sunshine Stars versus Rivers United Match Day 10 fixtures, it is now certain the duel goes ahead as the host team has called off the threat to forfeit the match.
Rivers United’s media officer, Sammy Wejinya previews that Sunshine Stars and his team will be the two sides that will go head to head in search of crucial points as they seek to leave the wrong end of the table.
“The Stars are currently in the relegation zone and United are not too far away from the murky waters either.
“Sunshine Stars have not won an NPFL game in their last five attempts with their last victory recorded over a month ago, specifically on January 25 against Kano Pillars in Akure.”
Sunshine Stars’ build up to this game has been anything but straightforward with players of the football club embarking on protests in the week to press home demands over the non-payment of their financial entitlements.
Head coach of the Akure club, Kayode Olujohungbe however insists his plans for the game against United went according to script and predicts an easy win on Sunday.
“My boys never went on strike this week. They merely went on protests.
“Each time they went on those protests under their captain, Abe Sunday, they sought for our permission.
“We could not stop them (from protesting) because they need to get the monies owed them.
“They never missed training and we are ready for the game on Sunday.
“Rivers United is a very strong side but the statistics show that they don’t usually pose much problems for us when they play in Akure.
“Last season, we took four points off them in the league and I see something similar happening again this season,” Olujohungbe said to the Rivers United official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
Olujohungbe will choose between two exceptional goal keepers, Henry Ayodele and Olorunleke Ojo for Sunday’s game while Kehinde Adedipe, Ambrose Onyema, Kelechi Ogoh and Nojeem Raji will be favourites to start in defence for the Owena Whales.
Sikiru Alimi, Samad Kadiri and Oke Oghagotewho are other important personnel Olujohungbe will be relying on to deliver the goods against the Pride of Rivers who have the odds heavily stacked against them.
United’s form domestically has been patchy. The Port Harcourt club have never beaten or scored against Sunshine Stars and are winless in their last four NPFL games.
United were beaten 1-0 the last time they visited Akure with veteran, Dele Olorundare firing in a peach of a free kick which left Sunday Rotimi with no chance.
Technical manager of the Port Harcourt club, Stanley Eguma remembers that defeat vividly and knows his charges will have to be up for the challenge on Sunday to avoid a repeat of last season’s reverse.
“Sunshine Stars have a good team and we respect them a lot.
“We know we have to be strong as a team and try to take our chances when we get them,” he said.
Form guide (last five NFL matches)
Sunshine Stars: Lost; Lost; Draw; Draw; Draw
Sunshine Stars 0-2 Gombe United (A)
Sunshine Stars 0-1 MFM FC (H)
Sunshine Stars 1-1 Abia Warriors (A)
Sunshine Stars 2-2 ABS FC (H)
Sunshine Stars 1-1 Nasarawa United (A)
Rivers United: Win; Draw; Draw; Lost; Draw
Rivers United 1-0 Niger Tornadoes (H)
Rivers United 0-0 FC Ifeanyiubah (A)
Rivers United 0-0 Lobi Stars (H)
Rivers United 1-2 Shooting Stars (A)
Rivers United 1-1 Kano Pillars (H)
Previous meetings in competitive matches (Head-to-head)
Matches: Two (2)
Sunshine Stars wins: One (1)
Rivers United wins: Nil (0)
Draws; One (1)
Goals for: Sunshine Stars (1); Rivers United (0)
Goals against: Sunshine Stars (0); Rivers United (1)
Points accumulated: Sunshine Stars (4); Rivers United (1)
Details (Specific breakdown)
Rivers United 0-0 Sunshine Stars (NPFL: Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt on March 23, 2016).
Sunshine Stars 1-0 Rivers United (NPFL: Akure Township Stadium on July 23, 2016).
Story: Courtesy Sammy Wejinya
Nigerian Football
GTI enlarges coast…spreads from League fund-raising to Federation Cup
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation, GTI Asset Management and Trust Ltd has expanded their scope of operations from fund sourcing for the Nigeria Premier League to adding the responsibility of getting the national cup competition back into its glamorous days.
The MD of the company, Abubakar Lawal at the unveiling a revamped Federation Cup which has been renamed President Federation Cup remarked that his company decided to take a bold step to support the national cup.
“I am the happiest man today, he said in the opening remark of the rebranding of the national cup through signing of Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Sports and the NFF.
“Our company is also strategically involved in ensuring that the President Federation Cup is given necessary attention to thrive using The Nigeria Football Fund (TNFF) as our vehicle to actualise this dream.
“Therefore, it is our vision that the oldest domestic football event becomes one of the best organised football events in the world in no distant future.”
Nigerian Football
Ikenne’s Beyond Limit Football Academy top goal chart as NNL releases vital statistics
The secretariat of the Nigeria National League has released the match statistics of the four conferences of the 2024 season.
With 198 matches so far played in Conferences A and B, 426 goals were scored, with 125 home wins and 26 away wins, representing 63.1%, & 26% respectively. There were 47 draw matches, representing 23.7% of matches. 299 home goals were scored, and 127 home goals.
Beyond Limit FC scored the highest goals of 33 goals, with Stormers FC and Ekiti United conceeding the least goals of 28 goals. Tradesafe and Solution FC scored the least numbers of goals of 11 goals and Osun conceded the least numbers of goals of 8.
In group C & D, 209 goals have been scored in the 106 so far played, with 70 home wins and 14 won away representing 66. 3% and 13.1% respectively.
Teams drew 31 matches representing 29.2% of the matches played. Wikki Tourists scored the highest numbers of goals, with 23 goals, while EFCC FC conceded the least numbers of goals. They conceded 18 goals. Nasarawa United’s 8 goals conceded made them the team that conceded the lowest numbers of goals, while ABS scored the least number of goals of 5 goals.
Nigerian Football
Heartland back to their homeland as they host Shooting Stars
BY TOSIN OMOJOLA, OWERRI
The uncertainty surrounding our Matchday 31 encounter against Heartland FC of Owerri, has been cleared with the game eventually slated to hold at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, the home ground of the host team
The Nigeria Premier League has given the approval to the stadium after an inspection was carried out on Wednesday afternoon.
The Oluyole Warriors have since arrived the Imo State capital and have settled down ahead of Friday’s clash which will be be shown live on cable television.
Meanwhile, the Technical Adviser of the Ibadan soccer lords, Gbenga Ogunbote, while addressing the players on arrival at their hotel, urged them not to be distracted by the development.
“I want to apologise to you on the change of venue. We got to know about it some hours ago, but be that as it may, I want us to remain focused as and get the desired results we needed”.
In the same vein, the players of the Ibadan soccer lords, said they are not in any way moved by the change of venue, expressing their readiness to get the maximum points, not minding the venue.
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